Borderland Movie Review: A Scathing Takedown

Eli Roth's highly anticipated Borderlands movie is poised for a theatrical release, but early critical reception paints a bleak picture. Read on for a summary of the initial reviews and what moviegoers can expect.

A Disappointing Adaptation?

Stellar Cast Can't Save a Critically Panned Film

The Borderlands movie adaptation, based on Gearbox's popular video game, has received overwhelmingly negative reviews following early screenings across the US. Critics largely condemned the film's humor, CGI, and screenplay.

Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews tweeted, "Borderlands feels like a studio exec's misguided attempt at capturing 'cool.' The humor falls flat, and the film lacks genuine emotional depth, resulting in a chaotic mess."

Darren Movie Reviews from Movie Scene Canada called it "a baffling adaptation," praising the potential for world-building but criticizing the rushed and uninspired screenplay. He noted that while the set design is impressive, poor CGI undermines the overall visual quality.

Despite the overwhelmingly negative response, some critics found glimmers of hope. Film critic Kurt Morrison noted that Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart's performances elevate the film above a complete disaster, but he doubts it will find a wide audience. The Hollywood Handle offered a more positive, albeit qualified, assessment: "Borderlands is a fun, PG-13 action flick that relies heavily on Cate Blanchett's star power to succeed – and she delivers."

The film, re-announced in 2020 after a period of inactivity, features a star-studded cast despite initial fan skepticism.

The movie follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, returning to Pandora to find Atlas's missing daughter (Edgar Ramirez). She teams up with a group of misfits including Kevin Hart as Roland, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, and Jack Black as Claptrap.

As major publications release their full reviews in the coming days, audiences will get to decide for themselves when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. Meanwhile, Gearbox has hinted at a new Borderlands game.